There are so many strains of thought and ideology in secular democracies around the world, exemplified, perhaps best, in contemporary American political life. Some of these strains of thought are compatible with others and may even be subsets of others. Many of them are violently opposed to others. In the American context, we see, at least, the following : environmentalismcultural progressivismeconomic socialismprogressive-lite Keynesian welfare + neocon warfare hawks = the establishment / moderates / centristscivil libertarianismnon-interventionismsocial conservatismConstitutional conservatismfree-market libertarianismpopulism, protectionism & nativism, anti-progressivism, anti-establishment
A neat left-right divide no longer makes sense. Most people find themselves on a spectrum between very different political philosophies and emphases.
The two major political parties represent uneasy marriages that exist because for historical reasons or current tactical alliances. The fragil…